Tour
by L.O.A.D
Summary: Facilier gives Charlotte a little tour of the city.


**Own nothing. Please review this and my other stories.**

The La Bouffs were having another ball and, as was his way, Facilier was there, hiding in the shadows. He watched the people dance and enjoy themselves. Upon the wall his shadow watched the party goers along with his master.

_There's Charlotte, _Shadow said teasingly. Facilier glared at the shade, then turned his attention back to Charlotte. He noticed her leave the crowd and walk to the opposite side of the yard.

_Interesting, _he though to himself. Silently he walked over to where she was standing alone. She didn't notice him until he revealed himself.

"Problem, chere?" He asked, startling her. She spun around and shrank back when she saw him.

"What do you want?" She asked. "Why are you here?" He didn't answer her, instead he grabbed her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. He twirled her around and held her against his chest. Her heart pounded in her chest, her eyes wide with fear.

"Just tryin' to enjoy myself, chere," he said, leading her in a slow dance. She watched him skeptically.

"You weren't invited," she said. "Big Daddy wouldn't like it if her knew you were here." He didn't say anything, but she did notice a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Come now darlin'," he said smoothly. "I haven't hurt anyone. Although, if y'all don't want me here, we could leave."

"Leave?" She asked, her eyes wide. He chuckled, his laugh echoing through his chest.

"Well," he said, "there must be a reason y'all are here by yourself." Charlotte sighed.

"I'm bored," she confessed. "Tiana and Naveen couldn't come, and Travis won't stop bothering me." He chuckled again.

"Well, chere," he said. "If you're so bored, why don't we take a tour of the city." She giggled.

"I've been around the city before," she said. He lifted her off the ground and swung her around again.

"True," he said, "but you haven't seen my part. You'd be surprised what you miss when you don't go out at night. So what do y'all say?" She looked at him skeptically.

"I don't trust you," she said. "You turned Tia into a frog and..."

"I turned Naveen into a frog darlin'," he said with a smile. "She didn't need to kiss him." Charlotte looked at him.

"You tried to kill my daddy," she said.

"I was desperate then," he admited. "I had a debt to pay off and was willin' to do anything to save my hide. I didn't need to save you when you fell in the river." She looked at him.

"I suppose," she said, still somewhat uncertain. She looked around the ball. "Why not? I don't have anything else to do." Facilier smiled.

"Glad to here it chere," he said. He put his arm around her shoulder and led her away from the party.

_**Break**_

The first place he took her was the river. It was hot out and he wanted to cool off. He slipped off his coat and vest and placed them on the riverbank. He put his hat on top of the pile and dove in. He surfaced and looked at her.

"Come in," he told her. She shook her head.

"I-I can't swim," she admitted. "That's why I almost drowned." He looked at her and swam over to the bank.

"Come in," he said again, holding his arms out to her. "I won't let you sink." Cautiously Charlotte slipped into the water. When she was completely in the water she paniced, but Facilier kept his word. He put his arms around her and kept her afloat. She closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest. He smiled. "Well?"

"I guess this isn't so bad," she said. "It's kinda relaxing." Facilier chuckled. A cool breeze blew in, causing him to shiver.

"Want to get out?" He asked Charlotte. She nodded and he swam them to the bank. He helped her out then got out himself. Charlotte shivered.

"I'm cold," she said. He nodded, making a small flame appear in his palm. Carefully, he used it to dry himself and her. Once he was dry he put his vest and coat back on. He picked up his hat an place it on his head.

"Ready?" He asked. She nodded.

"Where are we going next?" She asked. He looked at her and smiled.

"There's a cemetery not too far from here," he said. "I was thinkin', if I'm givin' y'all a tour of my half of the city, that'd be a good place to start." She looked at him, shocked.

"The cemetery?" She asked. He smiled.

"What's wrong darlin'?" He asked. "Y'all wouldn't be afraid, would ya?" She swallowed.

"A little," she admitted. He smiled and began to led her towards the cemetery.

"Don't worry, chere," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Nothin' will happen that I can't handle."

_**Break**_

The walk to the cemetery wasn't too long. Soon they had reached it. Charlotte sat down on a tombstone and looked around.

"So this is your half of the city, huh?" She asked, watching the witch doctor. Facilier chuckled.

"What do you think?" He asked. She shrugged. Sighing Facilier leaned against a moselium. A sly smile crossed his lips as he watched the grave she was sitting on. Charlotte sighed and looked up to the sky. Suddenly, she felt something cold grip her ankle. She looked down and screamed.

"CHEESE AND CRACKERS!" She yelled. It was a hand, a cold, dead hand. She pulled out of its grip and scrambled away from the tomb stone. She stood a few feet away from it, her heart racing. Behind her she could here Facilier chuckling. She spun around, furious.

"Just a little joke, chere," he assured her. "I wouldn't let y'all get hurt." He chuckled again. As he did so, Charlotte stalked towards him and slapped him. He looked at her stunned and glared. Realizing what she had done, she backed away from the angered witch doctor. He grabbed hold of her wrists and prevented her from backing away anymore. Her heart pounded in her chest as his purple eyes gazed into her blue ones.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. She swallowed and stared at him, waiting for him to make a move.

_Stop, _Shadow told his master quickly.

"Why should I?" Facilier asked, the menace evident in his voice.

_Because if you don't you'll regret it. Especially when they're slipping the noose around your neck. _This seemed to get to him. He nodded and let go of her.

"Right," he said, "forgot about that."

"Forgot about what?" Charlotte asked. Once he had let her go she moved away from him.

"Nothin'," he replied. "I was talkin' to Shadow. Sorry for loosin' my temper, darlin'. It gets the better of me sometimes."

"It's alright," she said. She glanced back at the hand. "How did you do that?" He smiled.

"Now that," he said slyly, "would be tellin'." He walked over to her and took her hand. "May I have this dance, mademoiselle?" He asked with a slight bow. Charlotte looked at him skeptically.

"I suppose," she said. He smiled and took her into his arms. He spun her her around, resting his hands on her hips as she place her's on his. Cautiously she rested her head on his chest. He smiled.

"Tired chere?" He asked. She nodded and closed her eyes, listening to his heartbeat. He chuckled.

"Then I think we should be movin' on," he said. She looked up.

"To where?" She asked. He chuckled again.

"I was going to take y'all out to the bayou," he said, "but seeing as y'all are mighty tired, I think we ought to just head back to my place." He let go of her and put his arm around her shoulder, leading her back towards his emporium.

"How did you get that place anyway?" She asked.

"I bought it," he said briefly. "I needed a place to stay and it seemed to suit me. It was out of the way, and even at mid-day, it doesn't get much light." Facilier laughed. "I think Shadow likes that." Shadow, who had been following them loyally, nodded. Charlotte chuckled and use her shadow to scratch Shadow's chin.

"You know," she said, "I always used to think he was creepy, but now that I look at him, he's kinda cute." Shadow smiled and nuzzled her. Charlotte frowned. "Why doesn't he talk?" She asked.

"Shadow's a mute, darlin'," Facilier said, petting his shadow affectionately. "He's never made a sound and he never will." Charlotte nodded and he continued to lead her towards the alley. Soon they had reached the alley, which he led her down. She stopped in front of the tree and looked at it.

"What's this?" She asked. He sighed.

"It _was _a magnolia tree," he said. "Hasn't bloomed in years." He chuckled slightly. "I may have had somethin' to do with that." He snapped his fingers and the sign over the emporium lit up. He gestured toward the door with his cane and it swung open.

"Is there anything you do without magic?" She asked. He chuckled.

"Call it habit," he said, leading her inside. She looked around the emporium. Even though she had been in it before, she had never really gotten to take a good look around. She made note of the various skulls and dolls. She walked over to a shelf and picked up a fat, mustached doll with a pink heart sown on the left breast.

"This looks like my daddy," she said quietly, glancing over at the witch doctor. He noticed what she was holding and paled.

"That's not important," he said, taking it from her and placing it back on the shelf. She crossed her arms and looked at him.

"That's what you were going to use to kill him," she said accusingly. He looked around nervously then sighed, defeated.

"Yes," he said, looking down, "it was."

"And then you would have killed me?" She asked. He looked up suddenly.

"I was desperate," he said quickly. "I swear, chere, I've chan..."

"I don't think you changed at all," she said. "You're just as cold and heartless as ever." She looked around and sighed. "I want to go back home. Now!" He nodded and led her out the door.

_**Break**_

They didn't talk the whole walk back to her house. When they arrived the ball had ended and nearly everyone had left. He stepped away from her and gave a slight bow.

"I'm sorry that the night wasn't as pleasent as it could have been," he said, straightening up. "Perhaps another tim..."

"Charlotte!" A voice called out. Facilier looked behind Charlotte and paled. It was Big Daddy, with a shotgun.

"Daddy?" Charlotte asked, turning around as her father aimed the gun at Facilier's chest. The witch doctor froze, too frightened to run.

"Charlotte, get away from that man," Eli said quickly. Facilier dropped his cane and lifted his hands up as a sign of surrender.

"Sir," he began, "with all due respect I had no intention of harmin' your daug..." he was cut off by Big Daddy jaming the barrel of the gun into his throat. He swallowed, his knees buckling. "Please," Facilier begged, all the charm and charisma gone. "I'll leave. I won't come back, I promise." Big Daddy glared at him.

"I'll see you hang for this," he said, and any hope Facilier had of surviving left.

"No," he choked out. "Please, I wasn't goin' to hurt her, I swear."

"Daddy leave him alone," Charlotte said, walking over and batting the barrel of the gun aside. Before her father could re-aim she had placed herself between her father and Facilier. "I went with him, he didn't do anything wrong."

"Charlotte step aside," Big Daddy said. Charlotte shook her head.

"I won't let you hurt him," she said, much to Facilier's surprise. Eli LaBouff looked at his daughter then sighed, lowering the gun.

"Very well," he said. "I know better than to argue with you once you've made up your mind." Without another word he turned and walked away. Once he was gone Facilier bent over and picked up his cane, getting cautiously to his feet. He cleared his throat, causing Charlotte to turn around.

"It seems I owe you, chere," he said, giving her a low bow. "If it weren't for you, I fear I'd be on my way to a hangman's noose about now. But I need to know, why?"

"Just because you're heartless," she said, "doesn't mean I have to be. And besides," she leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss, cayching him off guard once again. "I had fun tonight. I was bored, and now I'm not. You did your job, so no point in you getting killed over it." She kissed him again. "Maybe we can do it again. You never did show me the Bayou." He smiled.

"Next time," he said, "how about you get your daddy's permision first?" She smiled.

"Ok," she said. Without another word she turned and walked away. Facilier stood ther for a moment, stunned. Finally, he too turned around and headed back home. Next to him he could see Shadow grinning.

"Don't say a word," he told him.

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